Knitting machine and method

ABSTRACT

1,151,149. Knitting. SCOTT &amp; WILLIAMS, Inc. 9 April, 1968 [11 1 April, 1967], No. 16982/68. Headings DIC and D1K. A method of effecting make-up on bare needles of a superposed cylinder machine comprises locating all of the needles in the lower cylinder of the machine and after opening their latches feeding a yarn so that it is fed into the hooks of the needles, the alternate needles subsequently being raised so that the yarn passes on to their shanks. The alternate needles are then transferred to the upper cylinder whereafter yarn is fed to them only and they are caused to engage the yarn and draw loops which they hold over the next three courses formed by the lower cylinder needles taking yarn and knitting. Subsequently the needles of both beds take and knit yarns the held loops being knitted in with a later course as shown in Fig. 4. Elastic yarn may also be included in the courses. The make-up is achieved by feeding yarn at a single station on a two feeder machine in which the second feeder is initially rendered inoperative but is introduced, for example, at course IX when two feed knitting is commenced. The method is carried out on a two or more feeder machine having a cam set up involving withdrawable cams for deflecting the needles into knitting or non-knitting paths. The sliders have variable length butt arrangements and the upper sliders have an additional butt to allow needle manipulation and transfer to be effected in the required manner. The machine also has adjustable verge bits 80 collectively movable by being mounted in a housing 82 secured to a tube 90 movable up and down under the dictates of a cam controlled mechanism 108 . . . 120. The cams are mounted on a bed 66 secured by a screwed tube 72 and the cam positioning is adjustable during reciprocatary knitting by a control sleeve 68 moving between limits engaged by a stop 70 secured to the sleeve. Pneumatic take down mechanism is provided and in order to deflect the air sream towards the fabric a deflector 132 also is provided pro jecting within the needle circle. Fabric camming fins 78 also assist in the take down of the fabric and the provision of humps 76 in combination with air flow and the fins provide the necessary inwardly and downwardly directed tensions to the fabric as new stitches are being formed. To assist the initial course structure by ensuring that the yarn is received in the needle hooks a latch opener comprising a nozzle which directs a stream of air against the latches to deflect them downwardly into an open position is provided adjacent the needle circle.

Jan, 7, 1969 D. GROTHEY KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed April ll, 1967 Sheet of mvENToR 'V ATTo-NEYS BY ad;

Jan. 7, 1969 l. D. GROTHEY KNTTING MACHINE AND METHOD Shee'rI Filed April l1, 1967 IBS FI G. IB.

INVENToR n NAN DAVID GRoTHEY 58 Y l so Lin. 'di 1%7 ATTORNEYS Jan.- 7, 1969 I D. GROTHEY 3,420,075

KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed April' 11,v 1967 sheet 3 of 5 ATTORNEYS Jan. 7, 1969 D. GROTHEY 3,420,075

KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed April 11. 19e7` sheet 4 of s ung( l asa IIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIII 262m 262 1| nlnlllflllll 256s llllllllllllllllll 262s llllllllllllllllllllllllIlllllllllllll 256,9- llilllllllllllllllllllllIl Hlllllllllllh F IG. 3.

2622 ummm ||||||||||u||.........................(.

2601' lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllIlllllllllllllllllllll IHHHHHHIHIIH mmum||||||||||||||||||||| 256m umu ummmmmllllllllllHllllllllllllll mvgm'on l/ IVANA DAVID GROTHEY ATTORNEYS lHllllllllllllllllllllll Jan. 7, 1969 D. GROTHEY 3,420,075'

Filed April ll. 1967 Shee'fI L l IA l IM! Il ,nl

Hm! L myENToR IVAN DAVID GROTHEY ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,420,075 KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD Ivan David Grothey, Laconia, NH., assignor to Scott 85 Williams, Inc., Laconia, N .H., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 630,113 U.S. Cl. 66-14 9 Claims Int. Cl. D04b 9/10 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A knitting machine having superposed cylinders and of the double-ended latch needle type produces separate stockings, each being started on bare needles and pressed off at its completion. Makeup is affected with all of the needles in one cylinder. Control of tension is by air flow, accompanied by the action of humps and fins in a sinker cup. The air flow also ejects the finished stockings.

BACKGROUND `OF THE INVENTION The invention is concerned with superposed cylinder machines long used for the production of stockings having broad ribs or links-links patterns particularly in their leg and instep portions. Such machines utilize double-ended latch needles which may be transferred from one cylinder to the other and are controlled by sliders in the respective cylinders.

Until recently hosiery blanks have been produced in these machines in the form of continuous string work which is tensioned :away from the stitch forming point by the use of a squeeze roll takeup. In this operation the blanks have been initially tied together by a draw thread which is later removed to separate the blanks, A typical machine of this type is illustrated in Bristow Patent 2,763,144. The reason for the confining of operation of such machine to the production of string work is that, as is well known, because of the close approach of the cylinders to each other and the existence, at times, of a cage of needles bridging the cylinders to effect needle transfers, the yarn feeding and clamping and cutting de- Vices have necessarily been confined to the region outside the cylinders. This made difficult the certainty of proper makeup in starting individual stockings on lbare needles, and repeated makeup operations were avoided by the string work type of operation.

A greatly improved mode of operation is involved in the application of Ralph W. Shannon, Ser. No. 333,860, filed Dec. 27, 1963. The machine thereof provides for reliable makeup on bare needles and provides for proper fabric tensioning so that separate stocking blanks may be knit and pressed off the needles, eliminating the need for manual removal of draw threads for the separation of stocking blanks produced in string work.

However, the last mentioned machine involves certain complexities in both the matters of makeup and fabric tensioning. The makeup involves operations of needles in both cylinders. Fabric tensioning is mechanical and involves mechanism oper-ating through the upper cylinder.

SUMMARY OF' THE INVENTION The present invention affords simplicity of construction and operation. Reliable tensioning by air flow is provided. Makeup is simplified, needles operating only in the lower cylinder during makeup, and in a fashion which does not involve the necessity for using yarn having elastic properties.

The objects of the invention relate to the achievement of improved operation as will become more evident hereafter.

3,420,075 Patented Jan. 7, 1969 "loe BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURES 1A and 1B constitute, jointly, a vertical secl tion through the head portion of a superposed cylinder DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT To a major extent the present machine has the conventional construction of the well-known Scott and Williams Komet machine. The drive mechanism for rotary and reciprocatory knitting is of conventional type. Chain and main cam drum controls are conventional, as are also the yarn feeding devices and their controls. Links-links knitting is effected under the usual trick wheel control. Yarn clamping and cutting devices are of the usual type. Only so much of the machine is shown and described herein as differs materially from conventional superposed cylinder machines of the Komet type, and it will be readily apparent as the description proceeds that changes in the conventional elements are made only to the extent required for special operations; for example, the conventional layout for cams on the main cam drum may be slightly modified to produce special motions herein described.

To serve as a background for what is novel, there may be briefly described as follows certain conventional elements and assemblies: f

The main frame fragmentarily illustrated at 2 houses the usual transmission to drive the needle cylinders. A bevel gear on the main horizontal shaft of the machine (neither being shown) provides rotary and reciprocatory motion to the cylinders through the bevel gear 4 doweled at 6 and otherwise fastened to a cylinder carriage gear 8 carried by bearing 10 in the lower bed plate 12. A vertical drive shaft 16 is driven by the teeth 17 of the carriage gear 8 through the spur gear 18 keyed at 20 to the shaft 16.

Pillars 22 and 24 respectively support la middle bed plate 26 and an upper bed plate 28. A stationary bearing ring 30 is secured to bed plate 28 and carries the upper cylinder bearing 32. The upper cylinder 34 is fastened to a carriage gear 36 'by screws 38. A plate 40 is secured to the carriage gear 36 and serves to support the upper cylinder assembly on the bearing 32.

The upper end of the vertical drive shaft 16 is journaled in the bearing ring 30. Drive to the upper cylinder is transmitted through spur gear 42 to the teeth on the carriage.

The spurr gears 18 and 42 are provided with upper sections 18a and 42a, respectively, which may be adjustably displaced angularly with respect to the main portions of the gears and locked relatively to them for the purpose of backlash elimination, lto secure very accurate yregistration of the upper and lower cylinders [at all times.

To effect initial alignment of slots in both cylinders, the spur gear 42 is provided with adjusting screws 44 and lock nuts 46 to advance or retard the upper cylinder relatively to the lower cylinder.

The lower bed plate 12 and the middle bed plate 26 support cam rings 47 yand 48 which mount the cam box sections 50 and 52 respectively. The cam thus mounted will be described in detail hereafter. Lower cylinder sliders are shown at 54 and upper cylinder sliders are shown at 56 both in FIGURE lA and FIGURE 3. The double-ended needles S are omitted from the former figure for clarity, but are shown in the latter figure in association with the sliders. Sinkers 57 are provided, and these are desira'bly of the type shown in FIGURE 2A of the aforementioned Shannon application, being provided to prevent maloperation in the fashion described therein. These sinkers differ from the conventional type long used in these machines by reason of the provision of notches behind the Sinker hooks.

Needle selection for patterning is conventional and utilizes selector jacks 58 provided with frangible butts which may be selectively removed and arranged to be operated upon by conventional trick Wheel mechanism which is not shown.

Sinker control means are also conventional. The slotted Sinker ring 60 is keyed and otherwise adjustably positioned and fastened to the lower cylinder 14. The upper sinker cam 62 is secured to the Sinker cup 66. The lower sinker cani 64 is keyed to and supported by a sleeve 68. A tail member 70 is secured t0 the sleeve 68 and serves as a stop against adjustable bumper screws which are conventional and not shown. These are provided for the usual displacement of the Sinker knockeover positions for rundown and reverse strokes of the needle cylinder during reciprocatory knitting. Tubular member 72 serves a a nut and is threaded at its upper end to engage the threaded lower end of the sinker cup 66. When tightened it serves to hold the cupp 66 and sleeve 68 together. When loosened it provides clearances for removal and replacement of sinkers. During operation the sleeve 68, cams 62 and 64, cup 66 and nut 72 are effectively fixed relative `to the cylinder rotation, though their position automatically varies with stroke direction as determined by bumper screws.

Everything so far described is conventional both in construction and basic operation as will be understood by anyone familiar with machines of this type. There will now be described particularly the matters of construction which are novel.

Projecting upwardly and inwardly at the upper edge of the sinker cup 66 are humps 76. There are rounded in shape, and one of them is located adjacent to each of the stitch drawing points of the respective feeds. At the same locations there are inwardly directed fins 78 which slope downwardly in the direction in which the fabric moves relatively to the Sinker cup during rotation. AS will appear more fully hereafter, when the fabric already formed is pulled downwardly by air flow, the humps and fins become particularly effective to provide the necessary inwardly and downwardly directed tension to the fabric as new stitches are being formed.

As is well known, verges have been provided in association with the upper cylinders of superposed cylinder machines. In accordance with the present invention special structure and control of the verges exists. The purpose is both to accommodate pneumatic fabric tensioning and provide clearance for the passage of fabric over the humps 76.

Verge bits serve t0 form Sinker-line wales during formation of adjacent rib stitches .as occur during knitting of broad rib fabric and links-links knitting. Each verge is retracted upwardly during reciprocatory knitting on lower cylinder needles. The verge bits 80 are supported in the slotted verge 82 and held in position by a spring band 84. The verge 82 is fastened by screws, 86 to the ring 88 which in turn is brazed or otherwise fastened to tubular member 90. The top end of this tubular member is fastened to a flange 92 which is supported on springs 94 positioned over equally spaced pins in the top plate 40. Angular alignment of the verge bits 80 about the cylinder axis in proper position relative to the cylinder slots is achieved by a pair of adjusting screws 98 having smooth ends which are brought to bear against a rectangular extension 102 on the flange 92. Screws 98 are carried in a threaded block 104 which is fastened to the top plate 40. Lock nuts are used to maintain the setting. By this arrange-ment the entire verge assembly is carried by and rotatable with the cylinder structure, but is vertically moveable relatively thereto. Means for adjusting the verge height as well as automatic control for retraction of the verge during reciprocatory knitting is provided. A vertical control rod 108, which is operable by cams on the main cam drum, is pro-vided with .an adjustment screw 110. A lever 112, pivoted in a post 114, has bifurcated arms 116 which engage detents in the stationary ring 118 which is supported on a bearing 1211 of the porous metal type containing lubricant. As will be evident, upward movement of the rod 108 will depress the verge assembly against the upwardly directed force of the springs 94.

A stationary air tube 122 is suspended substantially coaxially with the upper cylinder by a bracket 124` supported by a post 126 extending upwardly from the top bed plate 128.

The lower end of tube 122 is piloted by the central opening in the verge 82, the inside diameter of this opening being sufficient to provide clearance with the stationary tube when it is properly positioned.

Internal bracket 128 attached to the tube 122 by screws 130 locates and suspends a member 132 having a circular cross section at its lower end with a shape such as that illustrated to effect an outward motion to downflowing `air. Adjustable positioning of the height of the central member 132 is to secure the most effective deflection of the air toward the fabric. Clamping is effected by the screw 134.

The upper end of the tube 122 is adapted by the fitting 13S, the collar 136 and a clamp 138 to a plastic tube 140 through which air is delivered for tensioning and for removal of a finished stocking blank. The air introduced through the tube is continuous and may originate either from a centrifugal pump individually associated with the machine, or from the usual mill air supply which may deliver air to a number of machines. The flow through the tube 140 is continuous during operation, but desirably a valve is used to close off the air and prevent waste when the machine is stopped.

The spider controlling cams and associated elements will next be described lwith particular reference to FIG- URE 2. Motion of the cylinders with respect to these cams is counterclockwise so that the sliders and needles move relatively to the cams in the direction of the arrow shown at the bottom of the figure. The majority of the cams are conventional and perform their conventional functions; but in the matter of makeup special operations are involved and hence the cams, whether new or old, will be described. As will appear, various of the cams are radially movable to bring them selectively into and out of action. The movements are controlled from the main cam drum in conventional fashion and accordingly the particular control elements need not be described. The distribution and shapes of cams on the main cam drum will be evident to anyone skilled in this art from description of the sequential operations involved.

The machine is of the two-feed type, the main feed being the one at which heels and toes are formed during reciprocatory, knitting yarns being selectively fed at a position indicated at 149. At the Xmain feed there is the usual center cam 150, the rundown stitch cam -152 and the reverse stitch cam 154i. The usual lifters 156 and 158 are sho-wn in their inactive positions. The usual dropper is also shown in its inactive position, half of it being shown at each end of the figure. 162 is the usual landing cam. 164 is a radially movable raising cam and 166 is a leveling cam, acting on butts which pass, without engagement, the cam 164. 168 is the clearing cam for the main feed during rotation and forward strokes of reciprocation.

At the second or auxiliary feed yarns are selectively fed at the position indicated at l169.

170 is a radially movable lowering cam at the second feed, while cam 172 is the second feed stitch cam. Following the last is the radially movable raising cam 174 which is associated the leveling cam 17-6 and the second feed clearing cam 17.8. 180 is a further leveling cam followed by a radially movable raising cam 182. Cam 184 is the usual radially movable transfer cam for moving needles upwardly during transfer. 186 is a leveling cam for moving downwardly sliders which have been raised by the cam 184. `Cam 188 is the reverse raising cam and cam '190 is the reverse clearing cam.

All of the foregoing cams act on sliders )which are in the lower cylinder. Reference will now tbe made to the cams which act on sliders in the upper cylinder.

192 is the radially movable transfer cam which effects downward transfer of the needles, while 194 is the Xed down transfer cam. 196 is the leveling cam for sliders which have been moved downwardly to effect transfer.

At the main feed there is the radially movable raising cam 198 which is followed by the main feed stitch cam ,200. This is associated with the landing cam 202. 204 and 206 are rib stitch relief cams.

208 is a radially movable lowering cam while 210 is a rib stitch clearing cam. At the second feed there is the radially movable raising cam 212 followed by the second feed stitch cam 214 with which is associated the landing cam 216. `Cams 218 and 220y are provided for rib stitch relief.

222 is a radially movable lowering cam and is followed by the rib stitch clearing cam 224.

226 is an auxiliary radially movable lower cam.

The conventional dividing cam is provided at 228.

Needle latch guards are provided at 230 and 232.

At 234 there is the air nozzle latch opener which directs air inwardly and downwardly to effect opening of latches of needles active in the lower cylinder. As will appear hereafter, air is provided to this nozzle through a control valve only at certain times during operation.

To aid in description welt raceways for the lower cylinder are designated 23:6 and 237, while welt raceways for the upper cylinder are designated 238 and 239.

240 is a special fixed raising cam operating on sliders in the lower cylinder.

FIGURE 3 shows the layout of slider |butts. Consistently with FIGURE 2, these are viewed looking outwardly from the axis of the cylinders and movement of the -sliders relative to the cams is in the direction of the arrow at the bottom of the figure. The butts are at the levels 256, 258, 260, 262, and 264. The layout is typical for 132 needles and for links-links operation.

The lower cylinder knitting butts 256 are of three heights, short, medium, and long, and are designated 256s, 256m, and 2561, respectively.

The lower cylinder transfer |butts 258 are alternately arranged with short and long butts designated 258s and 2581, with thevexception of two medium butts 258ml, the last appearing at the left and right of FIGURE 3.

The upper cylinder knitting butts 260 are of two heights, medium and long, which are respectively designated 260m and 260].

The lupper cylinder transfer butts 262 are of three heights short, medium and long, respectively designated 262s, 262m and 2621. Additionally, certain upper cylinder sliders have a third long butt 264, these last sliders being in the panel overlapping the knitting butts 260m.

As a preliminary to discussion of operation, it may be pointed out that movements of the main cam drum are effected in the same fashion as in conventional Scott and Williams Komet machines. The main control drum is advanced by a racking pawl controlled by links on a main chain so as to engage or miss teeth on the main drum rack wheel, and the movement of the racking pawl is in a sequence of one long and two short strokes. Depending on the chain control and the location of rack wheel teeth the drum is advanced in varying increments as required by the functional changes involved in knitting. Through this arrangement the cams of the cam ring, operating on sliders, may be radially moved at proper times during cylinder revolutions by advance of the main cam drum. In the description, reference will be made to varying timing of cam movements with the understanding that because of the control arrangement just described the cam movements can readily be made to occur at proper instants. As is also conventional, in these machines yarn changes are controlled independently of main drum moves with sequences of movements resulting in proper introductions, removals and overlaps of yarn.

Through the entire machine cycle, air flow at positive pressure is automatically and continuously supplied either from an individual motor driven centrifugal fan attached to each machine or from a common mill air source piped to a line of machines. The air ow from the source is directed into tube 140, and flows downwardly through tube 122, being deflected toward the fabric by member 132 and exhausted to atmosphere through the tube 72. This flow of air forces the fabric against the members 76 and 78 producing a tension which has both inward and downward components providing both the proper tension at the needles and downward movement of completed fabric into a through tube 72. At the termination of each stocking when press-olf occurs, the air also ejects the completed stocking from the machine.

After press-off of a completed stocking occurs the main drum and pattern chain are at their starting positions. -Both feeds are inactive, and all of the needles are in the lower cylinder free of yarn.

Lower cylinder cams 182 and 170 are withdrawn from engagement with all butts. Cams 164 and 174 are in their inner operating positions. Upper cylinder cams 192 and 212 are withdrawn. `Cams 208 and 222 are in their inner active positions. The machine is then ready for the start of the makeup sequence. For uniformity of description, a cylinder revolution will be considered as starting with the slider butts at the left of FIGURE 3 entering the cams at the right of FIGURE 2.

The rst cylinder revolution is particularly concerned with the opening of needle latches. The lower cylinder sliders, all of which carry needles, move over cam 180 at cleared height and are drawn downwardly by cams and 152. As those with butts 2561 are passing cam 164, this cam is stepped out to miss the butts 256s and moves all the way out during the passage of the latter.

Upper cylinder sliders, which now do not engage needles, enter the cams at cleared height, and are raised by cams 198 and 200. During passage of 260! butts, cam 208 is stepped out to miss butts 260m and is completely withdrawn during their passage.

A valve (not shown) is opened to admit air under pressure through nozzle 234. The needles associated with the first 256s butt and all subsequent needles are not elevated by cam 164 but the butts 256 move in the welt race 236 and are then raised by cams 174 and 178. As they pass the air nozzle 234 the latches of all of the needles are opened by the air blast. Opening is permitted by the cut away portion of the latch guard 232, and once opening has occurred the latch guard maintains the latches open.

In the upper cylinder the sliders having butts 260m and all subsequent sliders move in the welt race 238 and are thereafter lowered by the cams 222 and 224. The purpose of passing the upper cylinder Asliders at the welt level is to permit unobstructed direction of the air jet toward the lower cylinder needle latches.

In the second cylinder needle revolution the sliders follow the paths initiated in the first revolution to complete the latch opening of all of the needles, with maintenance of the open conditions of the latches.

In the third cylinder revolution a yarn at the main feed is introduced a few needles ahead of the first needle associated with a medium butt 256m: following the sliders having butts 256s. This yarn is taken in the hooks of sequential needles and retained by conventional sinker action at the main feed knock-over point, i.e., as the needles pass below the cam 152. Although the second feed is inactive, the sinkers are withdrawn and then again moved inwardly at the knock-over point at this feed by fixed camming, conventional to Komet operation. Therefore, to avoid loss of control of the introduced yarn at the second feed position, the following action is effected:

At the moment when the last two 256s sliders and the first two 256m sliders (the latter being the first needles to take yarn) encounter the cani 174 it is completely withdrawn. The special stationary transfer cam 240 is radially fixed with respect to the cylinder to miss short transfer butts 25Ss but engage medium and long transfer butts. Medium transfer butts 258m are positioned under the next to the last 256s butt and under the first 256m butt in order to elevate adjacent sliders at the end of the short knittingT butt panel and the beginning of the medium knitting butt panel during the withdrawal of cam 174, the withdrawal of which is fast.

By this action the needles, now in the lower cylinder, are divided. Alternate needles associated with sliders having long transfer butts 258] are raised to clear over cam 178. The intervening needles associated with sliders having short transfer butts 258s pass at the welt level 237. The result is that the introduced main yarn will be around the Shanks of alternate needles at cleared height and held in the hooks of intervening needles at welt height. An interlacing formation accordingly exists with the yarn under positive control.

During this cylinder revolution, the upper cylinder cam 222 is stepped out during the passage of butts 260i and is completely withdrawn during the passage of butts 260m. At the same time the auxiliary lowering cam 226 is moved in. By this action all 2601 sliders are lowered by cam 222 and the remaining sliders 260m are lowered by cam 226. The valve admitting air to nozzle 234 is closed to shut off the flow of air.

In the fourth cylinder revolution, as the divided needles approach the cams at the right of FIGURE 2, cam 182 is stepped in over the Ialternate 256s sliders to raise the alternate 256m and 256] sliders. The transfer cam 184 is moved in but not sufficiently far to engage the 258m butts. The intervening needles remain at welt level. Knitting butts of their associated sliders pass in welt race 237 and their transfer butts pass below all transfer cams. Accordingly, starting with the second medium butt 256m (or the first alternate needle) all alternate sliders are raised to bring their long transfer butts 258i into a path to engage the transfer cam 184 and raise their sliders only.

Transfer of alternate needles to the upper cylinder sliders is accomplished conventionally by the action of the dividing cam 228. All upper cylinder sliders and the associated alternate needles are raised by cam 198. These alternate needles take yarn at the main feed and draw loops (II of FIGURE 4) as the sliders are raised by the rib stitch cam 200, the loops being drawn about the portions of yarn lying previously on their Shanks. These needles are not cleared since the cams 2fl8 and 222 are inactive, and all of the upper cylinders sliders move in the welt raceways 238 and 239, holding the loops drawn by them.

The intervening needles which are in the lower cylinder continue to pass at welt level and miss the main feed yarn. As the 2551 butts are passing cam 182 it is stepped out and is completely withdrawn as the trailing panels of 256m and 256s butts pass it. Cam 184 is also withdrawn.

Near the end of this cylinder revolution, cam 164 steps in as 256s butts pass it to raise the first 256m and all subsequent sliders. These, all the lower cylinder sliders and associated intervening needles are raised to clear height by cam 168. Immediately after this action cam 174 is moved into the cylinder.

Following this, there is an operation which may be for as little as a single course but generally desirably takes place for four courses, and will be so described. The intervening needles knit at the main feed while alternate needles in the upper cylinder are at welt level and fail to take yarn. At this time elastic yarn may be conventionally introduced for subsequent interlacing or laying-in in the stocking top. This introduction of elastic yarn, however, is optional and not essential to yarn control in the present method of make-up.

The operation first described may be continued, as stated, for a desired number of courses.

Following this, in what may be the tenth cylinder revolution, conventional 1 x l single feed knitting of the stocking top is started and the make-up sequence may be considered complete. During the last part of what may be considered the ninth revolution, the cam 222 is stepped in as it is passed by the 260m butts and then all the way in during passage of 2601 butts during the tenth revolution. Cam 226 is withdrawn, and thus clearing of alternate needles is effected and l x 1 rib knitting of the main feed yarn is started.

Two feed 1 x 1 rib knitting is effected in subsequent revolutions by moving cam 208 into action and introducing yarn at the second feed (shown black in FIGURE 4), cams 212 and 170 being stepped into action at the same time.

Following this, operations are essentially conventional. Conventional two feed broad rib or links-links knitting may follow through the leg. Prior to knitting the heel, cam 192 is stepped in far enough to transfer heel and sole needles to the lower cylinder. The reciprocatory knitted heel is formed single feed and two feed plain sole and rib instep knitting continues in the foot.

Prior to knitting the toe, transfer cam 192 is moved all the way in to effect transfer of all needles from the upper cylinder to the lower cylinder, and the second feed yarn is withdrawn and cams and 212 are moved out of action. In the last rundown stroke, all needles will Ibe knitting in the lower cylinder at the main feed. After the reciprocatory knitted toe is completed, the machine clutch is shifted and the terminal courses including the looper waste are plain knitted in rundown at the main feed. All of this last sequence is conventional in all respects.

Press-off is effected by withdrawal of the main feed yarn in the vicinity of the middle of the series of short knitting butts 256s. During the final round the needles cast off their terminal loops as they are drawn down by the'main feed stitch cam 152. The continued air flow ejects the completed stocking through tube 72 to the collecting receptacle and the knitting cycle of the stocking is thus completed.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the make-up region of the fabric produced as described. The wales produced by what have been called alternate needles are indicated .at A, i.e., those associated with sliders having long transfer butts 2581, and the wales produced by intervening needles are indicated at B. The former wales A are formed by rib knitting, with the needles in the upper cylinder after transfer occurs. Wales B comprise plain knitting by needles in the lower cylinder.

As described, and in contrast with what is Yshown in the Shannon application, the make-up is at one feed, the main feed, yand is completed prior to the formation of any two feed fabric, a yarn shown in black in the upper portion of FIGURE 4 indicating a yarn fed at the auxiliary or second feed.

The successive rounds indicated by Roman numerals 'are produced by the operations already described. Round I is constituted by the yarn at the main feed initially taken by the intervening needles and extending across the Shanks of the laternate needles. As follows from the description of the operation, the held stitches II' extend across floats of the rounds III, IV and V. In the walves B plain stitches are formed, and through the rounds up to the including VIII knitting is at the main feed only, round IX constituting the first course knit at the auxiliary feed.

It will be evident that in accordance with the foregoing, simplified make-up is effected at a single feed without the complexities of involvement of two feeds. While this may be used in a two feed machine, it will be evident that the make-up may be used in a single feed superposed cylinder machine. Of course, the make-up may be used in connection with superposed machines involving more than two feeds. It will be clear that various details of construction and operation may be modified without departing .from the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. The method of effecting make-up on bare needles of a circular knitting machine comprising upper and lower superposed needle cylinders, sliders mounted in said cylinders, double ended latch needles mounted to slide in said cylinders and controlled by said sli-ders, means for feeding yarns to needles in both the upper and lower cylinders in at least one feed station, means for transferring needles between the cylinders, latch opening means, and means controlling said sliders, yarn feeding means, transferring means, and latch opening means, said method comprising locating all of the needles in one cylinder, effecting opening of the latches at the free ends of all of the needles, feeding a round of yarn at said feeding station to said needles with location of the yarn yacross the shanks of alternate needles and in the hooks of intervening needles, transferring said alternate needles to the other cylinder, feeding a second round of yarn at said feeding station to the hooks of said transferred alternate needles but not to the hooks of said intervening needles, drawing loops of said second round of yarn by said alternate needles, feeding a third round of yarn lat said feeding station to the hooks of said intervening needles but not to said alternate needles with the latter holding the loops drawn thereby, drawing loops of said third round of yarn by said intervening needles, and thereafter producing rib knitting by feeding yarn to both said alternate and intervening needles with drawing of stitches thereby.

2. The method according to claim 1 in which the loops held by the alternate needles during the feeding of the third round of yarn are lfurther held during the feeding of a :fourth round of yarn.

3. A circular knitting machine comprising upper and lower superposed needle cylinders, sliders mounted in said cylinders, double ended latch needles mounted to slide in said cylinders and controlled by said sliders, means for feeding yarns to needles in both upper and lower cylinders at at least one feeding station, means for transferring needles between the cylinders, latch openin-g means, and means controlling said sliders, yarn feeding means, transferring means, and latch opening means, said controlling means including means for locating all of the needles in one cylinder, means for effecting opening of the latches at the free ends of all of the needles, means Ifor feeding a round of yarn at said feeding station to said needles with location of the yarn across the shanks of alternate needles and in the hooks of intervening needles, means for transferring said alternate needles to the other cylinder, means for feeding a second round of yarn at said feeding station to the hooks of said transferred :alternate needles but not to the hooks of said intervening needles, means for drawing loops of said second round of yarn by said alternate needles, means for -feeding a third round of yarn at said lfeeding station to the hooks of said intervening needles but not to said alternate needles with the latter holding the loops drawn thereby, means for drawing loops of said third round of yarn by said intervening needles, and means for thereafter producing rib knitting by feeding yarn to both said alternate and intervening needles with drawing of stitches thereby.

4. A circular knitting machine comprising upper and lower superposed needle cylinders, sliders mounted in said cylinders, double ended latch needles mounted to slide in said cylinders and controlled by said sliders, means for feeding yarns to needles in both the upper and lower cylinders in at least one feeding station, means for transferring needles between the cylinders, latch opening means, and means controlling said sliders, yarn feeding means, transferring means, and latch opening means, said machine comprising further, 'a fabric-receiving member located within the lower cylinder and provided with an upwardly opening entrance portion which converges downwardly, said member and the cylinders having relative rotary movement, the interior of said entran-ce portion having at least one inwardly directed projection, and means directing air downwardly through sai-d entrance portions to urge lfabric downwardly and into engagement with said inwardly directed projections so that relative rotary motion between the fabric `an-d projections provides inwardly directed tension to the fabric a'way from the needles.

5. .A circular knitting machine according to claim 4 in which at least one of said projections is in the form of rounded humps.

`6. A circular knitting Imachine according to claim 4 in which at least one of said projections is in the form of sloping vanes directed to impart frictionally downrward movement of fabric.

7. A circular knitting machine according to claim 4 including means adjacent to said member and on the axis of said cylinders yfor imparting to the air an outward radial component of motion to press fabric against said inwardly directed projection.

8. A circular knitting machine according to claim 5 including means adjacent to said member and on the yaxis of said cylinders for imparting to the air an outward radial component of motion to press fabric against said inwardly directed projection.

'9. A circular knitting machine according to claim 6 including means adjacent to said member and on the axis of said cylinders for imparting to the air on outward radial component of motion to press fabric against said inwardly directed projection.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,65 8,3 66 11/ 1953 Shelmire 66-111 2,736,177 2/1956 Bristow 66-14 2,763,144 9/ 1956 Bristow 6-6-14 2,844,952' 7/ 1958 Wawzonek 66-147 3,05 4,2180 9/ 1962 Crawford 66-149 3,063,275 11/1962 4Luchi 66-149 3,342,043 9/ 1967 Shannon 66-1 l1 FOREIGN PATENTS 806,466' 2/ 1958 Great Britain.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

RONALD FELDBAU'M, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

